Multi factor user authentication on multiple devices

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of the present invention provide for a first and second client computer configured to receive and transmit an authentication credential and at least one additional authentication credential respectively. The authentication credentials may be selected from authentication credentials known only to a user, identifying a client computer and/or identifying a characteristic unique to the user. A server computer communicatively coupled to the network may be configured to receive the authentication credentials and verify the identity of the user via a match, in a database, of a first authentication credential, a second authentication credential and a third authentication credential.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/630,363, filed Feb. 24, 2015, and titled MULTI FACTOR USERAUTHENTICATION ON MULTIPLE DEVICES.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of userauthentication and specifically to the field of a multi-factorauthentication via multiple client devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides systems and methods comprising: a firstclient computer communicatively coupled to a network and configured toreceive and transmit an authentication credential selected from aplurality of authentication credentials comprising: a firstauthentication credential known only to a user; a second authenticationcredential identifying a client computer; and a third authenticationcredential identifying a characteristic unique to the user. The presentinvention may further comprise a second client computer communicativelycoupled to the network and configured to receive and transmit at leastone additional authentication credential selected from the plurality ofauthentication credentials. The present invention may also comprise aserver computer communicatively coupled to the network and configuredto: receive, from the first client computer, the authenticationcredential; receive, from the second client computer, the at least oneadditional authentication credential; and verify the identity of theuser via a match, within a database communicatively coupled to thenetwork, to the first authentication credential, the secondauthentication credential and the third authentication credential.

The above features and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a possible system for authenticating a user viamulti-factor authentication on multiple devices.

FIG. 2 illustrates a more detailed possible system for authenticating auser via multi-factor authentication on multiple devices.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a possible embodiment of a methodfor authenticating a user via multi-factor authentication on multipledevices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present inventions will now be discussed in detail with regard tothe attached drawing figures that were briefly described above. In thefollowing description, numerous specific details are set forthillustrating the Applicant's best mode for practicing the invention andenabling one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention.It will be obvious, however, to one skilled in the art that the presentinvention may be practiced without many of these specific details. Inother instances, well-known machines, structures, and method steps havenot been described in particular detail in order to avoid unnecessarilyobscuring the present invention. Unless otherwise indicated, like partsand method steps are referred to with like reference numerals.

A network is a collection of links and nodes (e.g., multiple computersand/or other devices connected together) arranged so that informationmay be passed from one part of the network to another over multiplelinks and through various nodes. Examples of networks include theInternet, the public switched telephone network, the global Telexnetwork, computer networks (e.g., an intranet, an extranet, a local-areanetwork, or a wide-area network), wired networks, and wireless networks.

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers and computer networksarranged to allow the easy and robust exchange of information betweencomputer users. Hundreds of millions of people around the world haveaccess to computers connected to the Internet via Internet ServiceProviders (ISPs). Content providers place multimedia information (e.g.,text, graphics, audio, video, animation, and other forms of data) atspecific locations on the Internet referred to as websites. Thecombination of all the websites and their corresponding web pages on theInternet is generally known as the World Wide Web (WWW) or simply theWeb.

Prevalent on the Web are multimedia websites, some of which may offerand sell goods and services to individuals and organizations. Websitesmay consist of a single web page, but typically consist of multipleinterconnected and related web pages. Websites, unless extremely largeand complex or have unusual traffic demands, typically reside on asingle server and are prepared and maintained by a single individual orentity. Website browsers are able to locate specific websites becauseeach website, resource, and computer on the Internet has a uniqueInternet Protocol (IP) address.

IP addresses, however, even in human readable notation, are difficultfor people to remember and use. A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is mucheasier to remember and may be used to point to any computer, directory,or file on the Internet. A browser is able to access a website on theInternet through the use of a URL. The URL may include a HypertextTransfer Protocol (HTTP) request combined with the website's Internetaddress, also known as the website's domain name.

Due to the security problems inherent in phishing and other means ofcyber attacks, users and administrators are seeking new ways toauthenticate users when accessing online data, such as by verifyingusers' identities and other personal data. One means of protecting thisinformation is via two-factor authentication, where two types ofauthentication are entered into a single interface on a single clientmachine in order to verify the identity of a user. As a non-limitingexample, the two types of authentication required to verify the user'sidentify may include something the user knows, as well as something theuser has.

As a non-limiting example of two-factor authentication, a user may loginto a website and be prompted for a user name and password. Once theuser name and password have been entered and verified, a message inShort Message Service (SMS) format, such as a verification code, may besent to the user, possibly on a mobile device such as a cell phone. Theuser, after receiving this message, may then be prompted to enter theverification code into the original website via the original clientmachine to confirm what the user knows (the user name and password)combined with what the user has (the cell phone).

Applicant has identified multiple weaknesses in such presently existingsystems and methods, which do not effectively authenticate the user andmay leave the user vulnerable to hackers or other unscrupulousindividuals as described above. As a non-limiting example, in two-factorauthentication systems entered into a single website on a single clientmachine, there is no protection against some types of cyber attacks.

These types of attacks may include, as non-limiting examples, a keysniffer attack or a man in the middle attack, where an unscrupulousindividual operates a website between the user and a valid website host.This unknown interim website may be configured to intercept the inputlogin information (e.g., user name/password), then may relay thatinformation to the valid website host, effectively spoofing the loginprocess by logging the user in as a legitimate website hosted by thewebsite hosting provider.

In this context, spoofing may refer to creating a web page, email orother interface which makes the user and/or web host believe that thelogin page interface is, in fact, from the original and legitimatesource. This login page interface may then be presented to the user, andthe user, trusting what appears to be the original and legitimate loginpage, may enter their login credentials (i.e., user name and password).This critical user information may then be forwarded to the interimwebsite as described above.

Another weakness with current two-factor authentication systems andmethods is that, as noted above, they rely on only two factors:something the user knows (e.g., user name/password) and something theuser has (e.g., a cell phone, where the user gets an SMS message).Additional weaknesses with current two-factor authentication approachesinclude both the first and second authentication being entered into thesame source, such as a single website interface and/or the same machine.

For example, a user may enter, via their client machine, their user nameand password on a login page of a website. This information may be sentto a server operated by the hosting provider of the website. This servermay then generate a second authentication code for the user and send itvia SMS to the user's phone, as described above, while concurrently orsubsequently generating a second web page from the website for thesecond authentication code, which may be transmitted and displayed onthe user's original client machine. The user may then enter the secondauthentication code from their phone into this second web page (or insome cases, the original web page) and transmit it from the same machinefor authentication.

Because the two authentication factors are both entered into and sentfrom the same machine to the same authority (i.e., the first factor andsecond factor are both entered into and sent on the same device), asuccessful phishing attack would allow the man in the middle to accessboth authentication factors simultaneously, since the user would sendthe information to the same source through the same channel via the samedevice.

By spoofing the valid website, and intercepting the credentials betweenthe user and the website host (i.e. in front of the website host), boththe user name/password entry and the SMS entry would be more easilyaccessible, to the man in the middle and therefore easier to intercept.The current state of the art for two-factor authentication, therefore,protects the user against hackers compromising some credentials, butdoes not protect the user against someone spoofing the infrastructure ofthe web hosting provider.

Thus, regardless of the means of entering any of the factors disclosedabove, the hosting provider has no way of ensuring that the factorshave, in fact, originated from the actual user. Conceivably, a man inthe middle or other dishonest individual could steal a password or a PINto get access to one or more means of authenticating the individual, andcould impersonate them without alerting the hosting provider that theinformation is not coming from a valid user. Applicant has thereforedetermined that optimal systems and methods will provide for entry of asecond or subsequent authentication credential into a second orsubsequent device through a second or subsequent channel.

In some two-factor authentication systems and methods, a thumb print orother biometric may be used to authenticate a user. However, a similarproblem exists in these methods. The biometric, such as a thumb printsignature, is static. This means that once an unscrupulous individualgains access to the biometric, they could store and replay it for theirown purposes. Applicant has therefore further determined that, inaddition to two factors entered into two separate client devices,optimal systems and methods will incorporate at least three and possiblymultiple additional authentication factors, possibly including a thumbprint or other biometric, thereby introducing three or more factorauthentication comprising any combinations of something the user knows(e.g., password), something the user has (e.g., a mobile phone) andsomething the user is (e.g., a thumb print).

The additional verification of a biometric within such systems ormethods confirms that the user is in control of the scanned biometric(e.g., by combining the biometric with a password or other credential),or that the user is not a hacker who has simply obtained a copy of thescanned biometric and is replaying it to gain access to sensitiveinformation (e.g., by requiring verification that the thumb printactually came from the user's phone). The hosting provider may alsobenefit from such optimal systems and methods, since there is a greaterassurance that the information is coming from a valid user.

Several different environments may be used to accomplish the methodsteps of embodiments disclosed herein. FIG. 1 demonstrates a streamlinedexample and FIG. 2 demonstrates a more detailed example of anenvironment including a system and/or structure that may be used toaccomplish the methods and embodiments disclosed and described herein.Such methods may be performed by any central processing unit (CPU) inany computing system, such as a microprocessor running on at least oneserver 110 and/or client 120, and executing instructions stored (perhapsas scripts and/or software, possibly as software modules/components) incomputer-readable media accessible to the CPU, such as a hard disk driveon a server 110 and/or client 120.

The example embodiments shown and described herein exist within theframework of a network 100 and should not limit possible networkconfiguration or connectivity. Such a network 100 may comprise, asnon-limiting examples, any combination of the Internet, the publicswitched telephone network, the global Telex network, computer networks(e.g., an intranet, an extranet, a local-area network, or a wide-areanetwork), a wired network, a wireless network, a telephone network, acorporate network backbone or any other combination of known or laterdeveloped networks.

At least one server 110 and at least one client 120 may becommunicatively coupled to the network 100 via any method of networkconnection known in the art or developed in the future including, butnot limited to wired, wireless, modem, dial-up, satellite, cable modem,Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Asymmetric Digital Subscribers Line(ASDL), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Integrated Services DigitalNetwork (ISDN), X.25, Ethernet, token ring, Fiber Distributed DataInterface (FDDI), IP over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), InfraredData Association (IrDA), wireless, WAN technologies (T1, Frame Relay),Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), and/or any combinationthereof.

The example embodiments herein place no limitations on whom or what maycomprise users. Thus, as non-limiting examples, users may comprise anyindividual, entity, business, corporation, partnership, organization,governmental entity, and/or educational institution that may haveoccasion to organize/import contacts and/or send marketing campaigns.

Server(s) 110 may comprise any computer or program that providesservices to other computers, programs, or users either in the samecomputer or over a computer network 100. As non-limiting examples, theserver 110 may comprise application, communication, mail, database,proxy, fax, file, media, web, peer-to-peer, standalone, software, orhardware servers (i.e., server computers) and may use any server formatknown in the art or developed in the future (possibly a shared hostingserver, a virtual dedicated hosting server, a dedicated hosting server,a cloud hosting solution, a grid hosting solution, or any combinationthereof) and may be used, for example to provide access to the dataneeded for the software combination requested by a client 120.

The server 110 may exist within a server cluster, as illustrated. Theseclusters may include a group of tightly coupled computers that worktogether so that in many respects they can be viewed as though they area single computer. The components may be connected to each other throughfast local area networks which may improve performance and/oravailability over that provided by a single computer.

The client 120 may be any computer or program that provides services toother computers, programs, or users either in the same computer or overa computer network 100. As non-limiting examples, the client 120 may bean application, communication, mail, database, proxy, fax, file, media,web, peer-to-peer, or standalone computer, cell phone, personal digitalassistant (PDA), etc. which may contain an operating system, a full filesystem, a plurality of other necessary utilities or applications or anycombination thereof on the client 120. Non limiting example programmingenvironments for client applications may include JavaScript/AJAX (clientside automation), ASP, JSP, Ruby on Rails, Python's Django, PHP, HTMLpages or rich media like Flash, Flex or Silverlight.

The client(s) 120 that may be used to connect to the network 100 toaccomplish the illustrated embodiments may include, but are not limitedto, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a hand held computer, aterminal, a television, a television set top box, a cellular phone, awireless phone, a wireless hand held device, an Internet access device,a rich client, thin client, or any other client functional with aclient/server computing architecture. Client software may be used forauthenticated remote access to a hosting computer or server. These maybe, but are not limited to being accessed by a remote desktop programand/or a web browser, as are known in the art.

The user interface displayed on the client(s) 120 or the server(s) 110may be any graphical, textual, scanned and/or auditory information acomputer program presents to the user, and the control sequences such askeystrokes, movements of the computer mouse, selections with a touchscreen, scanned information etc. used to control the program. Examplesof such interfaces include any known or later developed combination ofGraphical User Interfaces (GUI) or Web-based user interfaces as seen inthe accompanying drawings, Touch interfaces, Conversational InterfaceAgents, Live User Interfaces (LUI), Command line interfaces, Non-commanduser interfaces, Object-oriented User Interfaces (OOUI) or Voice userinterfaces. The commands received within the software combination, orany other information, may be accepted using any field, widget and/orcontrol used in such interfaces, including but not limited to atext-box, text field, button, hyper-link, list, drop-down list,check-box, radio button, data grid, icon, graphical image, embeddedlink, etc.

The server 110 may be communicatively coupled to data storage 130including any information requested or required by the system and/ordescribed herein. The data storage 130 may be any computer components,devices, and/or recording media that may retain digital data used forcomputing for some interval of time. The storage may be capable ofretaining stored content for any data required, on a single machine orin a cluster of computers over the network 100, in separate memory areasof the same machine such as different hard drives, or in separatepartitions within the same hard drive, such as a database partition.

Non-limiting examples of the data storage 130 may include, but are notlimited to, a Network Area Storage, (“NAS”), which may be aself-contained file level computer data storage connected to andsupplying a computer network with file-based data storage services. Thestorage subsystem may also be a Storage Area Network (“SAN”—anarchitecture to attach remote computer storage devices to servers insuch a way that the devices appear as locally attached), an NAS-SANhybrid, any other means of central/shared storage now known or laterdeveloped or any combination thereof.

Structurally, the data storage 130 may comprise any collection of data.As non-limiting examples, the data storage 130 may comprise a localdatabase, online database, desktop database, server-side database,relational database, hierarchical database, network database, objectdatabase, object-relational database, associative database,concept-oriented database, entity-attribute-value database,multi-dimensional database, semi-structured database, star schemadatabase, XML database, file, collection of files, spreadsheet, and/orother means of data storage such as a magnetic media, hard drive, otherdisk drive, volatile memory (e.g., RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., ROMor flash), and/or any combination thereof.

The server(s) 110 or software modules within the server(s) 110 may usequery languages such as MSSQL or MySQL to retrieve the content from thedata storage 130. Server-side scripting languages such as ASP, PHP,CGI/Perl, proprietary scripting software/modules/components etc. may beused to process the retrieved data. The retrieved data may be analyzedin order to determine the actions to be taken by the scripting language,including executing any method steps disclosed herein.

The software modules/components of the software combination used in thecontext of the current invention may be stored in the memory of—and runon—at least one server 110. As non-limiting examples of such software,the paragraphs below describe in detail the software modules/componentsthat make up the software combination. These software modules/componentsmay comprise software and/or scripts containing instructions that, whenexecuted by a microprocessor on a server 110 or client 120, cause themicroprocessor to accomplish the purpose of the module/component asdescribed in detail herein. The software combination may also shareinformation, including data from data sources and/or variables used invarious algorithms executed on the servers 110 and/or clients 120 withinthe system, between each module/component of the software combination asneeded.

A data center 140 may provide hosting services for the softwarecombination, or any related hosted website including, but not limited tohosting one or more computers or servers in a data center 140 as well asproviding the general infrastructure necessary to offer hosting servicesto Internet users including hardware, software, Internet web sites,hosting servers, and electronic communication means necessary to connectmultiple computers and/or servers to the Internet or any other network100.

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed example embodiment of an environment forthe systems, and for accomplishing the method steps, disclosed herein.As non-limiting examples, all disclosed software modules 200 may run onone or more server(s) 110 and may include one or more user interfacesgenerated by the server(s) 110 and transmitted to and displayed on theclient(s) 120. The user interface(s) may be configured to receive inputfrom the user and transmit this input to the server(s) 110 for theadministration and execution of the software 200, using data in datastorage 130 associated with the software modules 200. Thus, thedisclosed system may be configured to execute any or all of the methodsteps disclosed herein.

Server(s) 110 may be hosted by any entity, possibly a hosting provider,a domain name registrar, a website development company, any othersoftware service provider or any combination thereof. To manage users ofsuch a system, including individuals or organizations, softwareapplications running on server(s) 110, client(s) 120 mobile devices mayrun a user administration program 210 such as GoDaddy's My Accountcontrol panel for management of hosting websites and managing domainnames, as a non-limiting example.

In such an administration control panel program, or admin 210, each usermay be assigned a user id. This user id may identify transactionsperformed by each user, or other data, such as authenticationinformation disclosed herein. These transactions, user account data 220,authentication data and/or other data may be stored as data records indata storage 130, each data record including the user id to associatethe user with the relevant user or other data in data storage 130.

The admin 210 may include or be associated with a Domain Control Center(DCC) for administration of domain names registered to the user. Asnon-limiting examples, the DCC may include means for listing andmanaging all domain names registered to the registrant, possiblyincluding auto renewal of the domains, DNS record settings, etc. In someembodiments, the DCC may be used to display the disclosed notices,reports and/or domain name purchase offers, as described in more detailherein.

The disclosed multi authentication methods and system described hereinmay be applied to authentication of users to any application requiringuser authentication including, but not limited to, a bank account, ashopping site, private health records, the admin described above and/orthe DCC or other applications. The use of multi authentication input viamultiple client devices 120 may provide additional security to theuser's personal accounts and/or the domain names registered and managedby users associated with the user account via the DCC.

The security features available may be used in any context providingusers repeated access to destructive or semi-destructive actionsavailable via multi factor authentication. As non-limiting examples,this multi factor authentication may be applied at any point in thedomain name registration or administration process. Thus, the multiauthentication techniques described herein may provide better securityas the user: registers a domain name; transfers a domain name; locks adomain name; lists a domain name for sale; cancels a domain name;changes name servers for a domain name; changes the DNS settings for adomain name; etc. Any of the multi factor authentication means, factors,requests, challenges and/or credentials described below may be used toprovide greater security for these user account.

Multi factor authentication may comprise multiple types ofauthentication. As non-limiting examples, a user may request thatserver(s) 110 perform a particular action, such as accessing and/orupdating secure information, such as the bank account data, shoppingsession data, medical records, domain name data or other domain name oruser data previously mentioned. Prior to performing these actions,server(s) 110 may require one or more authentication factors to verifythe user's identity before proceeding. These authentication factors maycomprise authentication challenges (i.e., a request for user informationto verify their identify) and/or authentication credentials (i.e., theresponse from the user verifying their identity). Authenticationfactors, challenges and/or credentials may fall into three generalcategories, possibly including, but not limited to 1) something the userknows; 2) something the user possesses; and 3) something that the useris.

The disclosed invention comprises means for verifying a user viamulti-factor authentication, and may include any combination ofauthentication means, factors, requests, challenges and/or credentialsnow known or developed in the future, including any combination of thenon-limiting example embodiments disclosed herein.

As non-limiting examples, authentication factors may include, but arenot limited to: any combination of user names and passwords; softwaregenerated codes or passwords; Time-based One Time Passwords (TOTP);shared secrets; private/public key pairs (and related hashing orcryptographic algorithms); unique data associated with the user of thedisclosed system (e.g., biometrics specific to a user); authenticationvia facial recognition; authentication via voice authentication; and/orauthentication via tap codes.

In embodiments where authentication factors comprise a combination ofuser names, passwords and/or a shared secret, a user interface, possiblygenerated by server(s) 110 and displayed on client(s) 120, may comprisean authentication challenge requesting the user name, password and/orshared secret. A shared secret may comprise data, known only to theparties involved, in a secure communication. As non-limiting examples, ashared secret may comprise a password, a passphrase, a big number or anarray of randomly chosen bytes. The user may provide the response to theauthentication challenge (something the user knows) to confirm andauthenticate their identity.

After the user submits the user name, password and/or shared secret,server(s) 110 may then authenticate the user and proceed with the actionrequiring the authentication, possibly by confirming a match for theuser name, password and/or shared secret via user or other recordsstored in the user account data 220 in data storage 130. If notauthenticated, an alert may be transmitted and displayed to the user.

In embodiments where an authentication factor comprises a code generatedby software running on server(s) 110 and/or client(s) 120, a userinterface, possibly generated by server(s) 110 and displayed onclient(s) 120, may comprise an authentication challenge requesting thepreviously disclosed shared secret and/or any other algorithm thatcomputes a one-time password from a key and the current time (e.g.,CAPTCHA). The user may provide the response (something the user knows)to confirm their identity.

After the user submits their response to the shared secret or generatedcode (possibly by acknowledging the code, repeating it and sending itback), server(s) 110 may then authenticate the user and proceed with theaction requiring the authentication, possibly by confirming a match forthe generated code. If not authenticated, an alert may be transmittedand displayed to the user.

In embodiments where an authentication factor comprises a private/publickey pair, software on server(s) 110 and/or client(s) 120 may generateprivate/public key pairs comprising two separate and different keys thatare mathematically linked. These keys may behave according to anyprivate/public key algorithms known in the art. As non-limitingexamples, the public key may encrypt a message and/or verify a digitalsignature and the private (secret) key may decrypt the message and/orcreate a digital signature.

In some embodiments, one or both of these keys may be generated on, andsent from, a first device (e.g., client 120—something the user has) to asecond device (e.g., sever 110) to verify authentication by: processinga message with a private key to produce a digital signature; processingthe digital signature value with the public key; and comparing thatresult with the message.

In embodiments where an authentication factor comprises a unique dataassociated with the user (something the user is), a non-limiting exampleof this unique data may comprise biometric data associated with theuser. Such biometric data may comprise any biometric data collectedabout the user, and may be gathered from, as non-limiting examples, athumbprint scanner, a capillary distribution scanner, a retinal scanner,a DNA scanner, an implanted microchip, and/or any other means ofgathering biometric data identifying a specific individual now known ordiscovered in the future. In some embodiments, this biometric data maybe acquired and sent from a first device (e.g., client 120, somethingthe user has) to a second device (e.g., sever 110).

After the user or client submits the unique data associated with theuser, server(s) 110 may then authenticate the user and proceed with theaction requiring the authentication, possibly by confirming a match forthe biometric data via user or other records stored in data storage 130.If not authenticated, an alert may be transmitted and displayed to theuser.

In embodiments where an authentication factor comprises facialrecognition technology, software running on users' client(s) 120 maywork in conjunction with on-board or attached cameras to verify useridentity using any facial recognition techniques, methods or systemsknown in the art.

In embodiments where an authentication factor comprises voicerecognition technology, software running on users' client(s) 120 maywork in conjunction with on-board or attached microphones to verify useridentity using any voice recognition techniques, methods or systemsknown in the art.

In embodiments where an authentication factor comprises tap codetechnology, software running on users' client(s) 120 may be configuredto work in conjunction with sensors on the client(s) 120 to receive aseries of Morse-code or other style tapped input to verify user identityusing any tap code techniques, methods or systems known in the art.

The disclosed invention represents a significant advantage over existingmulti factor authentication. In this multi-factor authentication,server(s) 110 may generate and/or access a first authentication requestand/or challenge, possibly to be displayed on a user interface. As anon-limiting example, such a challenge may comprise an interfacedisplayed on a web page, and configured to receive a user name/passwordcombination from a user.

Server(s) 110 may then transmit this first authentication challenge toone or more client(s) 120. Client(s) 120 may then display the firstauthentication challenge on the user interface. In response to theauthentication challenge, a user may enter, as non-limiting examples,the user name and/or password into the user interface.

Client(s) 120 may then transmit the first authentication credential,entered by the user, to server(s) 110. One or more software module(s)200 running on server(s) 110 may then be configured to receive the firstauthentication credential entered and submitted by the user, and use theentered credential(s) to authenticate the user, possibly by comparingthe entered credential against username, password, temporary password,public/private key and/or biometric data stored as user account data 220on server(s) 110 and/or in data storage 130. If the first credential isnot authenticated, an alert may be generated, transmitted and displayedon client(s) 120 to the user.

If the first authentication credential is authenticated: the server maygenerate and/or access a second authentication challenge, to bedisplayed, possibly on the user interface. As non-limiting examples, thesecond authentication challenge may comprise a message/digital signaturegenerated, encrypted and/or decrypted using a private/public key pairand/or a biometric scan. Server(s) 110 may then transmit this secondauthentication challenge to client(s) 120, possibly to a client 120different than the client on which the first authentication credentialwas authenticated.

In response to the second authentication challenge, the user, orsoftware running on the user's client machine, may submit and/ortransmit, to server(s) 110, a second authentication credential toauthenticate the user. As non-limiting examples, this secondauthentication credential may comprise the private/public key pairmessage and/or the user's biometric. As a non-limiting example, thebiometric may be signed by the private key on client(s) 120 and sent toserver(s) 110 to verify it was collected on a valid device.

One or more software module(s) 200 on server(s) 110 may be configured toreceive the second authentication credential submitted by the client(s)120 and authenticate the user via the second authentication credential,possibly by comparing the data against a user name, password, temporarypassword, public/private key and/or biometric data stored as useraccount data 220 on server(s) 110 and/or in data storage 130, asdisclosed above. If the second credential is not authenticated, an alertmay be generated, transmitted and displayed to the user on client(s)120. If the second factor is authenticated, the server may proceed withthe process for which authentication was required.

This multi-factor authentication is not limited to two or three factors,and the verification process above may be repeated for each additionalfactor until all authentication challenges and credentials have beenverified and authenticated.

In some embodiments, authentication of a user may be augmented byrequiring that a second, third or nth authentication credential beentered or verified via a second, third or nth channel and/or a second,third or nth device.

As a non-limiting example, a user may not be authenticated untilsoftware, possibly running on server(s) 110, verifies that theauthentication for a subsequent authentication credential is receivedfrom a different channel than the channel used to submit and/or transmitthe initial or previous authentication credential(s). Non-limitingexamples of such channels may include user interfaces displayed viaURLs, websites, web pages, software or other apps running on client(s)120, etc., which are different from the initial or previous URLs,website(s), web page(s), software or other app(s), possibly running onand/or received via a different device than the initial or previousdevice.

For example, if a first authentication credential was entered into auser interface displayed via a first web page on a first website foundat a first URL running on a first browser and/or operating system on afirst client 120, the software may be configured to determine if thesecond/nth authentication credential is also received via same channel(e.g., the web page, website, URL, browser and/or operating system),possibly via the same client 120. If so, the user may not beauthenticated and the software may require the user to enter one or moresubsequent authentication credentials via one or more different channels(web page, website, URL, browser and/or operating system) than the firstor previous channel used to enter the initial or previous authenticationcredential.

Similarly, a user may not be authenticated until software, possiblyrunning on server(s) 110, verifies that authentication for a subsequentauthentication was received from one or more different devices than thedevice used to submit and/or transmit the initial or previousauthentication credential(s). Non-limiting examples of such devices mayinclude any client 120 and/or server 110 device disclosed herein.

In a similar example to that above, if a first authentication credentialwas entered via a client 120 laptop or desktop computer, the softwaremay be configured to determine if the second/nth authenticationcredential is also received via the same device. If so, the user may notbe authenticated and may be required to enter one or more subsequentauthentication credentials via a different device than that used toenter the initial or previous authentication credential.

In some embodiments, the second or nth device may be authenticated viaan exclusive channel available between the client(s) 120 and server(s)110 via a private/public key pair specifically identifying the client(s)120 and authenticating the authentication credential via the exclusivechannel. Details of such private/public key pairs and exclusive channelsare disclosed below.

In some embodiments, the requirements for different channels and/ordevices may be combined, so that a first authentication credential maybe entered via a first channel into a first device and a secondauthentication credential may be required to be entered via a secondchannel into a second device. If additional authentication credentialsare involved, the nth security credential may be required to be enteredvia the nth channel into an nth device, and so on.

The second and/or nth device may also act as another form ofauthentication, specifically something the user has. In someembodiments, an authentication message, authentication code and/or anyother authentication challenge (possibly including a user alert, asdisclosed below) may be sent to a first client 120 device, while asecond message, code and/or challenge is transmitted to a second client120 device. In some embodiments, this message may indicate that the userhas attempted to log in on the first or previous device, and is nowseeking a second or nth authentication of the user's identity, and maydisplay an alert that action is required on the part of the user toauthenticate the user and continue the login. The user's response to thesecond authentication challenge via the second client device (byproviding a second authentication credential) may act as furtherverification of the user's identity by providing something the userknows combined with something the user has. In some embodiments,disclosed below, the software running on server(s) 110 and/or client(s)120 may verify the user without additional interaction with the user.

The authentication message, code and/or challenge transmitted to theuser may be communicated by any means known in the art. As non-limitingexamples, the message, code and/or challenge may be communicated via: aweb page; an email; an SMS/text message; software running on a clientcomputer 120; an app running on a mobile device; a phone call, a voicemessage on a phone; etc. Communication means such as SMS/text, phonemessages, etc. may provide broader means to send the message, codeand/or challenge, since the message, code and or challenge would notrely on proprietary hardware and/or software to transmit to the user.

Server(s) 110 may generate, and transmit an authentication message, codeand/or challenge to the user's client 120, such as a user's laptopcomputer, as described above. On receiving this data, the user's client120, possibly using the software disclosed herein, may issue an alert tothe user, such as an audio chime indicating receipt of a new message, ora visual alert such as an alert window displayed on a screen, asnon-limiting examples.

When the first message, code and/or challenge is transmitted, a secondmessage, code and/or challenge may be simultaneously or subsequentlysent to a user's second client 120, such as the user's mobile device. Inthis example, the mobile device may be configured to display themessage, code and/or challenge, and the user may input the message, codeand/or challenge into a user interface on software running on the mobiledevice.

In some embodiments, when the second challenge is presented, requestinga second authentication credential on the second device server(s) 110may be configured to generate and transmit additional information withthe challenge indicating the action the user intends to perform with theauthentication. As a non-limiting example, this action may includeauthorizing a payment or making an online purchase. Thus, as the alertfor the second challenge is received, the message may display anadditional message requesting the user to confirm the action the userintends to confirm.

The converse is an equally valid model. Namely, server(s) 110 maygenerate and transmit the first message, code and/or challenge, possiblyincluding the alert, to the user's mobile device while simultaneously orsubsequently sending the second message, code and/or challenge to theuser's desktop or laptop computer. Thus, any client 120 disclosed hereinmay act as either the first or second device to which the message, codeand/or challenge is communicated, but the response and/or authenticationcredentials may be required to be entered into separate client devices120.

In some embodiments, a code may be displayed on a first client 120, butthen required to be entered via a channel on a second client 120. As anon-limiting example, a code may be displayed on a PC screen withinstructions to go to a phone and type the code, then click a button onthe phone to encrypt and transmit the code, or conversely, communicate acode to the phone that the user must input (and/or encrypt) on a PC,etc.

In some embodiments, a user may install software on the client(s) 120,to receive the authentication message, code and/or challenge. Thesoftware may be, as non-limiting examples, a software application on adesktop or laptop and/or an app on a mobile device. The software may befurther configured to establish an exclusive channel between theclient(s) 120 and server(s) 110, as described below.

The software may be automatically configured upon installation, toidentify the client(s) 120 as something the user owns in order toauthenticate the user's identity. Alternatively, a user may configurethe software during installation to accomplish the same purpose. In someembodiments, the software may include means for the user to log in to auser account, possibly by providing a username and password.

The software may be configured to receive the incoming message, codeand/or challenge. As noted above, the software may be configured todisplay an alert on the client(s) 120 when the user receives such amessage, code and/or challenge. In embodiments requiring user input, thesoftware may then be configured to receive authentication credentials orother acknowledgements from the user.

In some embodiments, the software itself may display the alert and/orcode generated by software on server(s) 110 or client(s) 120. The alertand/or code may comprise TOTP, answer to shared secrets, other generatedpasswords, etc. In these embodiments, SMS, text and or phone messageswould not be necessary. In embodiments where the alert, generated code,TOTP, answer to shared secrets, etc. is generated by the software anddisplayed, the user may simply need to click a button on a userinterface to verify receipt of the alert/login attempt and confirm theauthentication.

In some embodiments, installation of the software may cause client(s)120 to automatically generate a private/public key pair, used forprivate/public key encryption of messages and/or authentication datatransmitted between server(s) 110 and client(s) 120. This private/publickey pair may act as one of the trusted authentication credentials (i.e.,an initial or secondary authentication credential) used to verify theuser's identity. As a non-limiting example, the private/public key pairmay act as a secondary authentication credential (proof of something theuser has) when a user attempts to log in via user name/password as aprimary authentication credential (something the user knows).

On installation of the software in these embodiments, the softwareand/or the client(s) 120 may be configured to generate a uniquepublic/private key pair. The client and/or software may then beconfigured to store the private key and transmit the public key toserver(s) 110 to be stored in the cloud.

In these embodiments, the public key may generate a digital signatureand the private (secret) key may sign any data transmitted to theserver.

The key in the public key may be installed, published and/or stored thehosting servers 110 in association with the user, the user's clientdevice 120 and/or any other user data. In some embodiments, thisassociation may be accomplished via data records that join data, such asa user id identifying the user, to the published/stored key(s).

Associating the user and client(s) 120 with software and/or data on theserver 110 via the private/public key pair may bind each and all ofthese together, creating authentication as a primary or secondaryauthentication credential, since code on the client(s) 120 is bound tocode on the server(s) 110 via an exclusive encryption channel betweenclient(s) 120 and server(s) 110.

With this exclusive encryption channel established, server(s) 110 maygenerate and transmit an authentication message, code and/or challengeto client(s) 120, seeking either a primary or secondary authentication.The software on the client(s) 120 may receive this message, code and/orchallenge and generate and/or receive a response to the message, whichmay then be signed by the private key and transmitted to server(s) 110.

In some embodiments, the user may need to enter data to respond to thechallenge. In these embodiments, the software running on the client(s)120 may display a code or other data, which the user must enter beforeproceeding. In other embodiments, the code or other data may not benecessary. The user may simply click a button on the user interface thateither a generated authentication credential is OK, or that the userwants to proceed with the public/private key authentication, where thesoftware client(s) 120 would simply confirm the public/private keyencryption channel. Because the code on the client(s) 120 and server(s)110 are bound together as described above, only this credential would benecessary to proceed.

In entirely automated embodiments, user interaction may not be necessaryat all. In these embodiments, the installed software may recognize theincoming challenge and may generate the response including and/orencoded with the necessary digital signature or encryption necessary toauthenticate the user and/or the client machine.

Regardless of the means for generating, entering and/or approving theresponse, once the user response has been created, the software onclient(s) 120 may use the key to generate/ the digital signature thesoftware may then transmit the digital signature to server(s) 110 viathe exclusive channel between client(s) 120 and server(s) 110 forauthentication.

In some embodiments, following authentication of a first authenticationfactor and a second authentication factor, the disclosed system andmethods may require a third authentication factor. In these embodiments,authentication of a user may require three separate authenticationfactors including 1) something a user knows; 2) something the user has;and 3) something the user is. Any of the previously disclosedauthentication factors and/or methods may be used to verify these threeseparate authentication factors.

Although no authentication system or method is 100% secure, providing athird authentication factor, each factor reflecting a different elementin relation to the user greatly enhances the security of the user'sauthentication. As a non-limiting example, a user may enter alogin/password entry or other transaction, possibly on a first device(i.e., entering something the user knows).

A second transaction may comprise a software running on the user'sclient 120 machine, configured to alert the user to the firsttransaction and confirm the transaction, possibly via the private/publickey on the client 120 (i.e., using the exclusive connection to confirmsomething the user has). The user may enter data to confirm thetransaction, click an OK button displayed on the client(s) 120 toconfirm the transaction with the private key on that device and/or allowan installed software to generate a second authentication, possiblyincluding a digital signature, and the response before sending toserver(s) 110.

Before generating and/or the /signature, however, the disclosedsystems/methods may require the user to enter a biometric (i.e.,entering something the user is), and may only generate the signature toconfirm the transaction based on the presence of the biometric. Forexample, where a thumb print or other biometric is used as part of theauthentication, the server(s) 110 may be configured to verify thebiometric Any of the three types of authentication, including thisbiometric, may be encrypted and/or digitally signed as disclosed hereinprior to transmitting the response to server(s) 110.

Thus, if the user's phone were stolen, and a thief was to already knowthe user's one username/password authentication, the user'sauthentication may compromised. The thief would be able to confirm anytransaction if they have both the phone and the username/password.However, using three factor authentication, the username/password,device (possibly including the private/public key pair) and biometricwould be required to spoof the authentication, guaranteeing a moresecure authentication.

Several different methods may be used to provide and manage the presentsystems. FIG. 3 represents a flow diagram for one possible embodiment ofthe previously described improvements on presently existing systems. Inthis example embodiment, one or more server computers 110 may becommunicatively coupled to the network 100 and may be configured to:receive a first transmission, from a first client computercommunicatively coupled to the network, comprising an authenticationcredential selected from a plurality of authentication credentialscomprising: a first authentication credential known only to a user; asecond authentication credential identifying a client computer; and athird authentication credential identifying a characteristic unique tothe user (Step 300); receive a second transmission, from a second clientcomputer communicatively coupled to the network, comprising at least oneadditional authentication credential selected from the plurality ofauthentication credentials (Step 310); and verify the identity of theuser via a match, within a database communicatively coupled to thenetwork, to the first authentication credential, the secondauthentication credential and the third authentication credential (Step320).

The steps included in the embodiments illustrated and described inrelation to FIGS. 1-3 are not limited to the embodiment shown and may becombined in several different orders and modified within multiple otherembodiments. Although disclosed in specific combinations within thesefigures, the steps disclosed may be independent, arranged and combinedin any order and/or dependent on any other steps or combinations ofsteps.

Other embodiments and uses of the above inventions will be apparent tothose having ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of thespecification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. Thespecification and examples given should be considered exemplary only,and it is contemplated that the appended claims will cover any othersuch embodiments or modifications as fall within the true scope of theinvention.

The Abstract accompanying this specification is provided to enable theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally todetermine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of thetechnical disclosure and in no way intended for defining, determining,or limiting the present invention or any of its embodiments.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising a server computingdevice coupled to a network and comprising at least one processorexecuting specific computer-executable instructions that, when executed,cause the system to: decode, from a first transmission from a firstauthentication user interface (UI) on a first client computing deviceoperated by a user, a first authentication credential input by the user;responsive to identifying, within a database coupled to the network, auser identifier associated with the first authentication credential:generate a second authentication U I requesting a second authenticationcredential from the user; transmit the second authentication UI to bedisplayed on a second client computing device operated by the user;decode, from a second transmission from the second authentication UI onthe second client computing device, the second authentication credentialinput by the user; and responsive to identifying, within the database,the user identifier associated with the second authentication credentialinput by the user, authenticate the user.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the first authentication credential or the second authenticationcredential comprises a time-based one time password or a tap code. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructionsfurther cause the server computing device to generate an alert to bedisplayed on the first client computing device or the second clientcomputing device responsive to a determination that: the firstauthentication credential or the second authentication credential is notassociated with the user identifier in the database; or the secondauthentication credential, comprising a biometric input by the user,does not match a biometric data stored in the database.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein a public key and a biometric data are stored in atleast one data record in the database in association with the useridentifier.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the biometric data issigned by a private key and the private key and the public key bind afirst software code on the second client computing device with a secondsoftware code on the server computing device via an exclusive encryptionchannel between the second client computing device and the servercomputing device.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computerexecutable instructions further cause the server computing device,responsive to a determination that the first client computing device andthe second client computing device are the same device, to generate analert to be displayed on the first client computing device or the secondclient computing device.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein theauthentication of the user authorizes the user to access a domain nameadministration software, a bank account, a retail website, or at leastone private health record.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the secondclient computing device is configured to, without user input: store abiometric data; encrypt the biometric data using a private key; andtransmit the biometric data to the server computing device.
 9. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein, upon authentication of the user, the servercomputing device is configured to perform a requested action for whichthe authentication is required.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein thesecond authentication credential comprises a biometric data including afinger or thumb print, a capillary distribution, or a softwareidentification of the user's face, voice, retina, or DNA.
 11. A method,comprising the steps of: decoding, by a server computing device coupledto a network and comprising at least one processor executing specificcomputer-executable instructions, from a first transmission from a firstauthentication user interface (UI) on a first client computing deviceoperated by a user, a first authentication credential input by the user;responsive to identifying, by the server computing device, within adatabase coupled to the network, a user identifier associated with thefirst authentication credential: generating, by the server computingdevice, a second authentication UI requesting a second authenticationcredential from the user; transmitting, by the server computing device,the second authentication UI to be displayed on a second computingdevice operated by the user; decoding, by the server computing device,from a second transmission from the second authentication UI on thesecond client computing device, the second authentication credentialinput by the user; responsive to identifying, within the database, theuser identifier associated with the second authentication credentialinput by the user, authenticating, by the server computing device, theuser.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step ofdecoding the first authentication credential or the secondauthentication credential as a time-based one time password or a tapcode.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step ofgenerating, by the server computing device, an alert to be displayed onthe first client computing device or the second client computing deviceresponsive to a determination that: the first authentication credentialor the second authentication credential is not associated with the useridentifier in the database; or the second authentication credential,comprising a biometric input by the user, does not match a biometricdata stored in the database.
 14. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising the step of storing, by the server computing device, a publickey and a biometric data in at least one data record in the database inassociation with a user identifier.
 15. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising the steps of: signing the biometric data by a private key;and binding, by the public key and the private key, a first softwarecode on the server computing device with a second software code on thesecond client computing device via an exclusive encryption channelbetween the server computing device and the second client computingdevice.
 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:responsive to a determination that the first client computing device andthe second client computing device are the same device, generating, bythe server computing device, an alert to be displayed on the firstclient computing device or the second client computing device.
 17. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the authentication of the user authorizesthe user to access a domain name administration software, a bankaccount, a retail website, or at least one private health record. 18.The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: storing, by thesecond client computing device, a biometric data; encrypting, by thesecond client computing device, the biometric data using a private key;and transmitting, by the second client computing device, the biometricdata to the server computing device.
 19. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising the step of performing, by the server computing device, arequested action, upon authentication of the user, for which theauthentication is required.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein thesecond authentication credential comprises a biometric data including afinger or thumb print, a capillary distribution, or a softwareidentification of the user's face, voice, retina, or DNA.